GOL Breaks Ground For RIA Modernization Today

The Government of the Republic of Liberia, through the Liberia Airport Authority breaks ground for the construction of a brand new Passenger Terminal Building and the Rehabilitation of Runway 04-22 at the Roberts International Airport, located in Unification City Lower Margibi County, Liberia.

Roberts International Airport is located near Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, in West Africa. The airport was built in the Second World War by the United States Government to serve as a base for its military activities. After the war and until 1985, the airport was administered by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and the airport was a key link in the African network of Pan Am. When Pan Am ceased operations, the Government of Liberia assumed responsibilities for the operations of the airport.The Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), which was established by the Liberia Airport Authority Act of 2009, is responsible for the managerial and operational control of all airports within the Republic of Liberia. Roberts International Airport (RIA) is the largest and busiest airport in Liberia.The project involves the construction of a brand new Passenger Terminal building at RIA. The new terminal layout will be arranged in one and a half floors. The project is financed by a $50 million loan from the China Exim Bank and the contractor is CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMAPANY. The first floor includes check-in hall, inspection area, waiting area, arrival hall, baggage claim, baggage handling rooms, equipment rooms and other offices. The second floor includes waiting and departure area, commercial area, etc. After check-in, immigration, security screening on the first floor, passengers will arrive to their waiting area on the second floor by escalators, elevators and stairs. The second floor is also for departure, divided into waiting area and commercial service areas. The waiting hall is arranged in linear so that after security screening, passengers will approach to the waiting area through the commercial area, to increase the potential airport business revenue. For each boarding gate, nursing room, smoking room, business center, shopping center, and other service or consumption functions should be considered. Inside the terminal, it is designed to make the vision clear with no obstruction, and a transparent space is provided. The whole layout is compact, partition-free, to pursue the maximum efficiency and benefits.The project involves the excavation of significant sections of Runway 04-22, and asphalt pavement of these sections, rehabilitation of parts of the taxiways, airside geometric improvements including a new turn-pad at runway end 04, widening of taxiway fillets, grading of the runway strip, storm-water drainage improvements, runway and taxiway marking, rehabilitation of the Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) system, amongst other things. The last overlay of the runway was done in 1978. The project is financed through loans totaling $30 million from The Saudi Fund, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the Government of Liberia. The contractor selected through a competitive bidding process is Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. The Contract was signed on September 5, 2016 and duration is estimated at 10 months from date of commencement in September. The expected outcome will be a Fully Rehabilitated (New) runway at RIA, which will increase airline confidence as a safe airport for their flights. It is also intended to make Liberia fully and unconditionally compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.